Today marks a major milestone in energy infrastructure reform, as OFGEM has officially approved the G99 Connections Reform process. This achievement is the result of a coordinated national effort involving the National Energy System Operator (NESO), the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem), the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET), and the UK’s Distribution System Operators (DSOs).
For years, stakeholders have pushed for urgent reform to the outdated grid connection process, which had become increasingly unfit for purpose. The previous “first-come, first-served” approach led to a heavily oversubscribed pipeline and lengthy delays, with some projects facing wait times of up to 15 years. As a result, viable and strategically important projects were stuck in a growing queue, which ballooned tenfold over the past five years to a staggering 750GW—far exceeding what is needed to meet the UK’s net zero targets.
Under the newly reformed process, inefficient or inactive “zombie projects” that are blocking progress will no longer delay grid access. Instead, projects will be assessed and prioritised based on their readiness, moving to a “first-ready, first-connected” model. This shift will ensure that energy developments critical to economic growth and energy security are connected more quickly.
The reform is expected to unlock significant economic benefits—potentially releasing up to £40 billion a year in mostly private sector investment. This aligns with the government’s Plan for Change, which prioritises economic revitalisation. Since July alone, the clean energy sector has seen £43.7 billion in private investment.
Accelerated grid access will now be possible for priority developments including data centres, AI infrastructure, and renewable energy projects such as wind and solar. Projects not ready or lacking strategic alignment will be deprioritised, freeing up capacity for those that are ready to deliver clean, homegrown energy to households and businesses.
In addition to driving growth and creating jobs, this reform will help shield British consumers from volatile global fossil fuel markets, permanently lower energy bills, and avoid tens of billions in unnecessary grid reinforcements—saving billpayers an estimated £5 billion.
Ofgem CEO, Jonathan Brearley, Chief Executive Officer, Ofgem said:
The proposed connection reforms will supercharge Great Britain’s clean power ambitions with a more targeted approach anticipated to unlock £40 billion a year of investment and energise economic growth.”
The reforms would cut through red tape, consign ‘zombie projects’ to the past and accelerate homegrown renewable power and energy storage connections as we head to 2030.
Houses and hospitals, electric vehicle charging stations, data centres and the emerging AI sector, would also all benefit from the proposed streamlined fast-track approach, which would help boost energy security and drive down bills.
Kayte O’Neill, Chief Operating Officer, National Energy System Operator, said:
Reforming the connections process is a key enabler for delivering Clean Power by 2030 and will drive economic growth for Great Britain. Today’s milestone reflects the close collaboration across the energy industry with support from the government and Ofgem.
Together with the wider energy industry, NESO will focus on prioritising agreements for projects that are critical and shovel ready, bringing these to the front of the queue and giving developers the certainty they need to support investment decisions.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:
Too many companies are facing gridlock because they cannot get the clean energy they need to drive growth and create jobs.
These changes will axe ‘zombie’ projects and cut the time it takes to get high growth firms online while also fast-tracking connections for companies delivering homegrown power and energy security through our Plan for Change.
In an uncertain world, our message to the global clean energy industry is clear; come and build it in Britain because we are a safe haven. If you want certainty, stability and security when it comes to your investments, choose Britain.
Decerna’s specialist grid connection compliance services are designed to protect your existing projects.
Our Grid Scale Technologies team, led by John Dickson (former Senior Network Design Engineer at Northern Powergrid with 18.5 years’ experience), has developed a comprehensive service to help developers ensure their existing connections remain secure through these regulatory changes.
For your BESS, solar and wind projects, we can:
- Audit existing connection agreements against new Gate 2 requirements to identify compliance risks
- Prepare all essential documentation required under the reformed process
- Ensure your sites meet the progression criteria to maintain queue positions
- Provide technical expertise to address any compliance gaps
- Support you through the entire process with our deep understanding of DNO requirements
John’s team delivers all documentation now mandatory under the G99 reforms – from Heads of Terms and Letters of Authority to detailed redline drawings and site engineering layouts. Having supported numerous 49.9MW sites and worked with renewable developers for over a decade, we understand exactly what’s needed to protect your valuable grid connections.
We welcome the opportunity to discuss your requirements and how we might help safeguard your existing projects through these challenging regulatory changes.
